the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
by Jessi the Fangirl
Summary: There's always those in depression. So where do they all go during the night when you're sleeping peacefully? Tech's about to find out.
1. start:quest

The street was dark, and the lamps were broken. What little light shone upon this gloomy area came from the cold moon in the pitch-black sky. The assorted cobblestones of the street were kicked around as depressed-looking people stared up into the moon, not looking away. They blended in perfectly with the shadowy street, and almost seemed to be _part_ of it. They paid no attention as a foreigner dropped from midair into their atmosphere.

"Ow."

Tech E. Coyote sat up and rubbed his head, eyes adjusting to the foggy darkness.

"Oh, no. Not again," he moaned, getting up. The cobblestones clattered off of his lab coat as he stood up.

The residents took no notice. They continued to stare at the moon.

But Tech was used to this. _That's all these people seem to do_, he thought grimly. _Stare at the moon all night…_

He wandered around until he found the specific lamppost that he had marked last night. Tech traveled up the seemingly endless road, towards the moon. He stared up at it as well. Not much else to do – the surroundings was mostly dilapidated buildings, cracked lamps, and gawking citizens. Nor did Tech think they were citizens – there was no sign of a city, only a single street, going on and on, and it was nothing like any sector of Acmetropolis. It was mostly the same thing for miles on.

_And I should know_, Tech thought. _Two nights – three, counting tonight – I've been here, and this is all I see_.

"When I was a young girl, my father took me into the city to see a marching band…"

Tech blinked and turned around. Nobody was behind him.

"Hello?" he called out hesitantly. "Anyone there?"

"What? Oh, you heard me?" came a quiet voice. Tech backed up one step, turned around again, only to jump back with a yelp of surprise as he was met by a quizzical upside-down face. The coyote nearly fell over, but grabbed a nearby lamppost just in time.

"I didn't think anyone could hear me…but then, you don't live here," said the upside-down figure. Tech looked up to see that the figure was hanging off the arc of the lamppost in a bat-like stature. In fact, it seemed to have wings…

"I was hoping for Danny," the figure continued in its low murmur. "Oh, well. I should have specified. Always should specify. That's what I've learned."

"Excuse me," Tech interrupted, "but who _are_ you?"

The figure scrambled down the pole and landed at his feet. Now right-side-up, Tech could see that it was a raven-haired girl in her late teens. Her black coat was a severe contrast to her pink shirt. Her jeans were adorned with stars of various sizes, colors, and styles, placed in no particular pattern. Her shoes were checkered. The only difference between her and a normal girl was that there were white feathery wings sprouting from her shoulder blades.

"I'm someone or the other – and you're the same, but different…" The girl tilted her head, as if to ask the same question of Tech.

"Ah…and where is this?"

"This?" The girl gestured to the murky street. "This is the place where torn souls wander. This is the place where broken hearts linger. This is the place where people come when they've had it. This," she said, turning around and sweeping her arm through the air, "is the Boulevard of Broken Dreams."

"The boulevard of broken dreams? Fascinating…" Tech said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "I suppose I've a broken dream as well?"

The girl glared at him. "This is a place of great importance, even if it's the crappiest place you're ever going to see. Call the Boulevard by its name, _with capital letters_, if you please."

"With _capital letters_?" Tech repeated, skeptical.

"Yes, that's right."

"And why am I here?"

"Ah!" The girl clapped her hands and smiled. "That's the most important thing of all! Or, right now, at least."

"Do I have a broken dream? Is that why I'm here?" Tech asked curiously. "And what about you? You don't seem to be broken…"

The girl's smile faltered for a flicker of a moment, but she merely pulled her black coat around her more tightly. "I'm here to help these people get out," she answered, looking up at the moon. "And you're here to help me."

"Ah." Tech couldn't think of anything better to say. "But…why me? I've been visiting here for the last three nights-"

"Because I summoned you here to help," the girl cut in. "And I was really hoping for…someone else. No offense towards you, but…" She trailed off.

"None taken."

"Unless you don't really _want_ to help. That's fine as well," the girl rambled, ignoring Tech's last comment. "I suppose I could just find someone else…"

"No, I'll help," Tech said quickly. "It's…just hard to think that I've been summoned on a mission to help…er…who _are_ these people?" he asked finally.

"Torn souls. Broken hearts," repeated the girl. "People who are pretty much in depression. _You_ are going to find these people," she continued, pointing to the forlorn community behind them, "and _I'm_ going to tell you everything I can about them."

"Well…if we're working together," Tech said tentatively, "I'll need to know your name."

"My…name?" The girl blinked. "Do I really need one?"

"Don't you have one?"

"I guess…I guess I do," replied the girl hesitantly.

"My name's Tech. Tech E. Coyote," said Tech, extending a hand. The girl shook it.

"I have a name, but I suppose I lost it," the girl said by way of response. "If I find it, I'll give it to you."

"Um…right. How am I supposed to know where to find these…"

"Residents. Call them Residents."

"Residents, then. How am I going to track them down?"

"You will eventually," replied the girl cryptically. "Bye."

"Bye? Hey, wait-"

_Crash._

Tech was jolted out of bed as explosions, detonations, and outbursts of noise came from the direction of his lab. Muffled shouts followed each _crash_. The coyote jumped up and ran to his lab, the strange Boulevard and the white-winged girl forgotten in the moment of panic.

He didn't notice that there was a white feather on his pillow, stirred by the breeze.

* * *

Notes:

A _fanfiction_? From _me_? How shocking.

I'm not very satisfied with it...for some odd reason...

Yes...the girl is crazy...and she's not me. Background information about her is in another one shot fanfic I be writing. I should probably finish writing that one shot before finishing this...

HAY LOOK I BE USING TECH IN A FANFIC GASP  
...I is not a very good anti-Tech. xD  
Or maybe I could bash him... -brick'd by the Techies- I was kidding!

no. 40 - hero

Tech E. Coyote (c) WB  
the girl (c) me  
"When I was a young boy, my father took me into the city to see a marching band" is (c) My Chemical Romance  
based on the song 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' by Green Day  
but I own this version of the Boulevard. :)


	2. start:subplot1

"I'm-reaaaaaal-sorry-Tech, really," Rev pleaded, huddled in the cage that had fallen down on him. A few feet away, Duck was trapped in another confine, looking as sulky as Rev was apologetic.

"Yeah, about as sorry as Melvin when he nearly turned Acmetropolis into a checkerboard," Duck muttered, shaking the bars of the cage. "Why am I in here? I didn't do anything!"

"You were in here at the time that Rev intruded, thus the computer trapped you as well," Tech said smoothly, typing in the code to release his two avian teammates. Duck scowled.

"Ahh, phooey. I'm innocent, I tells ya, innocent!" he protested, rattling the bars again. "I've been framed! Falsely incriminated! Wrongly accused of crimes and misdeeds! Erroneously blamed-"

"All right, all right! We get it," Tech said as the cages pulled up into trapdoors set in the ceiling. "I didn't know you even knew what erroneously meant," he added as Rev jumped up, free at last.

"Well, I do. So there," Duck replied, blowing a raspberry before quacking out of sight. Tech sighed as he collapsed into a chair, while Rev ran circles around him.

"Wheeeeeeeeeee-I'm-out-again!"

"_Please_ stop touching my stuff," muttered Tech, turning to his computer.

"Sure-thing, pal! You-have-my-word! I-am-now-totally-honor-bound-to-your-"

"Enough already!" Tech groaned, rubbing his eyes wearily.

"Somethin'-wrong, Tech, ol'-buddy?" Rev asked, noticing his exhaustion. "Didn't-get-much-sleep?"

"Not for the last three nights – I've been having weird dreams…"

"Maybe-you-should-have-a-dream-catcher?" Rev suggested.

"They exist?" Tech barely took notice to Rev's offer as he slumped in his chair. "Where to find…"

"Need-to-find-something?"

"No, no, never mind…" Tech shook his head, trying to clear the vivid image of the murky Boulevard from his mind.

"If-you-say-so," Rev said simply before zooming away.

_Maybe it was just a weird dream…a really_ real_ dream_, thought Tech to himself as he reset the security system.

_Or maybe it _wasn't_ a dream? You ever consider that?_

_And now I'm talking to myself!_ Tech shook his head as he exited his lab. _I seriously need more sleep…_

_Oh, fine, pretend I'm a side effect of schizophrenia!_ the voice said, offended. _Danny wouldn't be like this! Well…yes, he would, actually…but that's not the point!_

Tech stopped in his tracks and blinked. _Okay, what?_

_Don't you remember me?_ the voice said, sounding disappointed. _Don't you remember the Boulevard?_

_The...Boulevard?_

-

_"When I was a young girl, my father took me into the city to see a marching band…" _

_Tech blinked and turned around. Nobody was behind him. _

_"Hello?" he called out hesitantly. "Anyone there?"_

-

_"Do I have a broken dream? Is that why I'm here?" Tech asked curiously. "And what about you? You don't seem to be broken…" _

_The girl's smile faltered for a flicker of a moment, but she merely pulled her black coat around her more tightly. "I'm here to help these people get out," she answered, looking up at the moon. "And you're here to help me."_

-

_"Well…if we're working together," Tech said tentatively, "I'll need to know your name." _

_"My…name?" The girl blinked. "Do I really need one?" _

_"Don't you have one?"_

-

Tech was jolted out of his reverie as a giant walking sandwich bumped into his arm.

"Oop. Sorry, Tech," apologized Slam, peeking around his breakfast, which was nearly twice as big as he was. "I not see you."

"Ah- no, it's my fault, Slam, I wasn't…paying attention," said Tech quickly, stepping out of his large teammate's path. _Those memories…_

_See, you _do_ remember!_ said the voice, delighted, as Slam lumbered along. _Silly Tech, pretending not to remember._

_Wait – you're the girl with no name_, thought Tech. _The one who asked me to help…_

_And I'm here to help you help!_ The voice sounded pleased. _I'm a happy helper, I like helping you-_

_But where do I start?_ interrupted Tech. _I have no idea who any of those…Residents are!_

_That's why I'm here! And with your technology, it won't be hard to find the Residents at all._

Tech opened the door to his room. _Well…I still need _some _form of information to find them_.

As soon as he finished talking – or rather, thinking, his computer sprang to life. The keyboard keys pressed down by themselves – or like an invisible person was typing. Soon, a full profile sprang up. Tech approached the console hesitantly, then carefully moved the mouse, afraid of something stopping him. When no ghost or spirit grabbed his wrist or anything of the sort, he slowly scrolled down the page.

"Mindy Nurse…is this the person I'm looking for?" Tech wondered aloud, grasping a small notebook and a nearby pen and scribbling down information.

_Exactly. This is what's going to happen – I'll give you the names of the Residents, you go help them. _

_And how many Residents are there, exactly? _

_Um…a lot? _

_Oh, joy,_ Tech thought sarcastically as he grabbed a black and green jumpsuit. _Won't this be fun_.

_If you really don't want to- _

_Of course I do! I can't just leave all those people in that…that place! _

The voice was silent for a moment as Tech quickly changed into his uniform and headed out.

"Goin' somewhere, Tech?" Ace asked as the resident genius as he walked toward the elevator.

"I won't be long…_hopefully_," he added to himself.

"Well, make sure you keep your communicator on – never know what or when somethin' might happen," reminded the rabbit, leaving the room.

"I'll do that," Tech called back as the metal doors closed in front of him. The elevator descended smoothly and came to the bottom floor with a quiet _ding_.

_So…you _are_ helping?_ asked the voice hesitantly.

_If I wasn't, would I be looking for Mindy Nurse?_ Tech replied, and the voice fell silent again.

_Ding_. The elevator doors slid open and Tech stepped out, activating something on his communicator. A few moments later, the holographic equivalent of a laptop screen with six separate running programs emerged from the five-sided control on the side of his wrist protector.

_Oooh, what's that? _

_Holographic computer screen, touch sensitive, with voice recognizing capabilities_, thought Tech, a note of pride in his would-be voice. _State-of-the-art, and I designed and built it myself_.

_Does it run on a nuclear, solar, or chemical cell?_ the voice asked curiously. Tech grinned.

_You know your technology_, he thought as he walked towards a bus stop. _Nuclear cell, titanium shielding, steel overcoat, solar backup_…

_I think chemical would work as a better backup, but then solar backup's always good if you're traveling outside a lot_… The voice trailed off, humming quietly as they waited for the bus.

_The backup cell is one of my own invention_, Tech thought as the bus arrived. _Forty-nine percent efficiency. Of course_, he added modestly as he took a seat, _it's still not as efficient as I hoped. Forty-nine percent – well, I could do better_…

He was interrupted by giggling coming from behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he spotted a group of girls sitting at the back of the bus laughing and pointing at him.

"You ask him!" a girl with a long chestnut ponytail urged her friend sitting next to her.

"No, you!" the second girl whispered back, nervously pulling a lock of dirty blonde hair, but giggling all the while.

"I'll do it!" A third girl stood up, getting up and making her way to where Tech was sitting.

_Oh, no_.

"_Acme Asylum_," announced a cool female voice from the ceiling speakers. The bus slowly came to a stop next to a large, white building. Tech quickly got off the bus, glad to have a reason not to talk to what must have been another cluster of fangirls.

_Who were they?_ the voice questioned.

_Fangirls, most likely. I seem to be getting a lot of them_. Tech sighed as he approached the asylum.

_Oh_, the voice said simply.

_How am I going to help her?_ Tech asked as he walked through the double doors.

_I'll help you,_ the voice assured as Tech moved toward the main desk.

"I'm here to see Mindy Nurse?"

A nurse, dressed in a simple white uniform, looked up. "Mindy Nurse? I'll take you to her. Are you here to…visit her?"

Tech smiled grimly. "More like a business trip…"

"She won't respond positively," the nurse warned Tech as they walked down the halls. "We've been trying these last six months to cure her, but…"

They reached a door labeled 'High Ward'. The nurse entered a numerical code into a keypad next to the doorknob, triggering a small camera to pop out of the wall. It extended to her eye level, clicked, whirred, withdrew, and the doorknob hissed and turned itself, opening the door. They walked all the way down the hall to the very last glass-walled cell, where a girl with blonde hair was slumped against the wall.

"Mindy? Someone's here to see you…business, he says…" The nurse backed away. "Good luck with her," she muttered to Tech before leaving the hallway.

Mindy fixed Tech with a blank, cold stare. Half her face was covered with her hair. "What do you want? Come to fix my will?"

"Ah…" Tech hesitated.

_Ask her why she's here,_ the voice hissed.

"I'd just like to know… why are you here?"

"I'm a homicidal maniac. Why else?" Mindy replied shortly. Tech winced.

_Okay…so she's a homicidal maniac. What now? _

_Ask her why she's a homicidal maniac_, the voice replied promptly.

"Why…er…why are you a homicidal maniac?" Tech asked uncertainly.

"Killed people looking for the lady who put my mom in the hospital. Never got the right one. I suppose I got punishment enough," she added as an afterthought. "Even without heading for the electric chair."

"Punishment?" Despite himself, Tech was curious. "What do you mean?"

Mindy glared at him, then swept away her hair, revealing the rest of her face.

It was not a pretty sight.

All the skin on the left side of her face had been torn away, leaving everything else – blood vessels, eyeball, bones – behind. A crack was clearly visible running across a bone. Despite this, everything was functioning perfectly.

"The same woman who hurt my mother sent a robot after me, to collect my inheritance…I took it out, but it took half my face. That was my punishment for looking for revenge… Lucky Elmyra was there, or I wouldn't've made it."

"Who's Elmyra?"

Mindy pointed to the cell behind Tech. Another girl was here, huddled in the corner. A bow decorated with a skull was perched in her hair. She seemed to be sniffling.

_By the way, that's another Resident living here_, the voice said, very quietly, as though afraid that people might overhear.

_Thanks for telling me_, Tech replied sarcastically. _How am I supposed to help both at once? _

_Take your time…if it's too much, I'll handle some of it_, the voice said reassuringly.

"Back to the point…" Mindy tapped the glass wall, bringing Tech's attention back to her. "Why are you here? Are you another one of those lawyers?"

"Lawy- of course not!" Tech said, surprised. "Why would I be a lawyer? Truthfully, the law career path doesn't appeal to me…"

"Weeks and weeks, they've been coming in, trying to sort out my 'business'… I bet _she_ sent them…" muttered Mindy.

"What happened to your mom?" Tech said quickly, not wanting to hear about more lawyers.

"Go find out for yourself! Why are you asking me all this?" said Mindy, clearly irritated.

_Because we felt like it_, said the voice.

"Er…I think I've got enough information…thanks for your time," Tech said, getting up.

_That went well_, the voice said brightly as they left the building. _I suppose you know what to do? _

_I've already done it._ Tech's holographic laptop was on again, this time displaying a page from the Acme First Hospital. _Jane Nurse, in the long-term ward, due to a dose of glutonium in her body, which was suspected to be a murder attempt… _

_Where are we going?_ the voice asked sharply. _We're heading back for the tower, that's not where Acme First Hospital is… _

_But it _is_ where the only source of glutonium antidote is_, Tech replied.

_Ohhhhhh_.

However, getting to the antidote wasn't as easy as visiting Mindy. Upon arriving at the top floor, he found a very large group of squealing, giggling fangirls.

Needless to say, Tech was not able to reach the glutonium antidote for a while.

"Heeeeey, Tech, I-know-you-said-not-to-touch-your-stuff, but-I-kinda-did-anyway, but-I-didn't-get-trapped-this-time, so-is-it-okay-if-I-just-used-your-lab?" Rev said the moment Tech locked the door behind him.

"Yeah…yeah, go ahead," he panted, leaning against the wall. Outside, he could hear Ace and Lexi shepherding the crowd away, though, by the sound of it, a few had jumped on Ace.

"I'm-just-going-to-replicate-some-glutonium-antidotes-"

"No, wait, I need that!" Tech said suddenly.

Rev blinked. "But-this-is-the-last-sample-left," he said, holding up the little blue tube. "That's-why-I-was-going-to-make-more."

Tech blinked as well. "Oh. Well, hurry up, I need some."

"But-your-replication-machine-takes-fifteen-hours-to-process, give-or-take."

Tech slapped his forehead and groaned. "The upgrade! I forgot to upgrade it!"

"Weren't-you-going-to-do-that-today?" Rev asked, placing the sample in a small, complicated-looking silver machine.

"I was…I had…business to attend to," Tech muttered.

"Well, it's-already-replicating, so…kinda-too-late-to-upgrade-it-now," said Rev, grinning.

_Aww…fifteen hours? _

_Yes, _fifteen hours, Tech thought impatiently. _How am I going to_-

_I never said you had a time-limit, you know_, the voice said enduringly.

_WHRRRRRRRRRRRCSSH. _

Tech wheeled around to see Rev, standing slightly hunched over, in a cage.

"Rev!"

"I'm-reaaaaaal-sorry-Tech, really!"

* * *

Notes:

Haha...I actually got a second chapter up...awesome...  
Now for the rest of the chapters. --;

OKAY EVERYONE LISTEN UP PLEASE THANKS.  
I WOULD LIKE SUGGESTIONS FOR CHARACTERS, OR ALREADY DEVELOPED CHARACTERS FOR THIS FANFICTION.  
THESE CHARACTERS HAVE TO BE IN SOME STATE OF DEPRESSION. PLEASE SEND ME THE CHARACTERS, THEIR STORY, AND WHAT THEIR DEPRESSION IS LIKE. THERE ARE NO OTHER REQUIREMENTS.  
I WILL BE ACCEPTING CHARACTER IDEAS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. NOW, THE WEATHER. -Willy Wonka theme plays-

Rev Runner, Tech E. Coyote, Danger Duck, Ace Bunny, Lexi Bunny (c) WB

the voice (c) not you

Mindy Nurse (c) yaminaki31 of dA


End file.
